Container cap comprising tamper evidence means

Abstract

A cap (100) for a container comprises a disc-shaped top section (102), an annular side section (104) projecting from said disc-shaped top section (102), and a locking flange (111) disposed at an extremity of said annular side section (104) opposite said disc-shaped top section (102), and further comprises a locking flap (116) extending from said annular side section (104), which is mobile between a locked first position wherein a portion (114) of the locking flange (111) extends inwardly from the annular side section (104), and an unlocked second position wherein the locking flange (111) is at least partially recessed relative to the annular side section (104). First tamper evidence means formed as partially frangible tab (120) and second tamper evidence means (128) are proposed. A package comprising a container and proposed cap (100) is also proposed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A cap for a container, comprising:
 a disc-shaped top section extending generally in a horizontal plane; 
 an annular side section projecting substantially perpendicularly from the perimeter of the disc-shaped top section along a vertical axis to an extremity defining a rim portion; 
 a locking flange disposed at an extremity of said annular side section opposite the disc-shaped top section, and comprising an immobile portion and a mobile portion; 
 a locking flap extending from at least a portion of the rim portion of the annular side section and being mobile between, 
 a locked first position wherein the mobile portion of the locking flange contiguous with the locking flap extends inwardly from an interior face of the annular side section, and 
 an unlocked second position in which the mobile portion of said locking flange is at least partially recessed relative to said interior face of the annular side section, and 
 first tamper evident member comprising tamper evidence member attached to the annular side section and to the locking flap, the locking flap being thereby immobilized in the locked first position when the tamper evidence member is in place defining thereby its functional position, 
 the tamper evident member is partially frangible when the cap is first opened allowing the locking flap to reach the unlocked second position and in that the tamper evidence member remains attached to one of annular side section or locking flap after the cap is first opened. 
 
     
     
       2. The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the tamper evident member is a partially frangible tab. 
     
     
       3. The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein the partially frangible tab comprises a first part attached to one of annular side section or locking flap that is frangible and a second part respectively attached to one of locking flap or annular side section that is not frangible. 
     
     
       4. The cap according to  claim 3 , wherein the second part remains attached to one of locking flap or annular side section when the cap is first opened leading the locking flap to reach the unlocked second position. 
     
     
       5. The cap according to  claim 3 , wherein the tab is integral with the cap. 
     
     
       6. The cap according to  claim 3 , wherein the first part of the tab that is frangible comprises at least one frangible bridge. 
     
     
       7. The cap according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one frangible bridge is attached to the locking flap. 
     
     
       8. The cap according to  claim 6  wherein the hinge is connected to the annular side section. 
     
     
       9. The cap according to  claim 8 , wherein the hinge is inclined with respect to the vertical axis defined as the direction of the annular side section projecting substantially perpendicularly from the perimeter of the disc-shaped top section. 
     
     
       10. The cap according to  claim 9 , wherein the hinge is inclined from 20 to 60° with respect to the vertical axis. 
     
     
       11. The cap according to any of  claim 3 , wherein the second part of the tab that is not frangible is a hinge. 
     
     
       12. The cap according to  claim 1 , comprising notches located at the lateral intersection of the locking flap and the annular side section and a second tamper evidence member located between two opposite internal edges of the notches. 
     
     
       13. The cap according to  claim 12  wherein the second tamper evidence member comprises a connection conformed as a plastic bridge connection that breaks when the locking flap is moved from the first locked position to the second unlocked position. 
     
     
       14. A package comprising: a cap for a container, comprising a disc-shaped top section extending generally in a horizontal plane, an annular side section projecting substantially perpendicularly from the perimeter of the disc-shaped top section along a vertical axis to an extremity defining a rim portion, a locking flange disposed at an extremity of said annular side section opposite the disc-shaped top section, and comprising an immobile portion and a mobile portion, a locking flap extending from at least a portion of the rim portion of the annular side section and being mobile between, a locked first position wherein the mobile portion of the locking flange contiguous with the locking flap extends inwardly from an interior face of the annular side section, an unlocked second position in which the mobile portion of said locking flange is at least partially recessed relative to said interior face of the annular side section, first tamper evident member comprising tamper evidence member attached to the annular side section and to the locking flap, the locking flap being thereby immobilized in the locked first position when the tamper evidence member is in place defining thereby its functional position, the tamper evident member is partially frangible when the cap is first opened allowing the locking flap to reach the unlocked second position and in that the tamper evidence member remains attached to one of annular side section or locking flap after the cap is first opened; and a container comprising a mouth provided with a neck having a shoulder, the cap being located upon the mouth of the container such that the locking flange of the cap engages the shoulder of the neck of the container.